How EE's Business Apps can give your small business a big productivity boost

Cloud-based solutions include Sage One and Microsoft Office 365

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The workplace of today is drastically different to how it was 10 years ago, and technology has been responsible for much of that change. You can probably remember being made to use a bulky PC lumped on a desk with a large monitor, and if you had a mobile phone, there's a good chance it was banned in the office.

That all began to change when improvements in networking and the rise of mobile technologies gave way to cloud computing, which has given businesses access to productivity-boosting apps and services accessible on a wide range of devices anywhere and at any time.

Few have stood to benefit this technological sea change more than small businesses, which are in a better position to make the leap to the cloud than their larger rivals due to having few (or no) complex legacy systems to transition from.

Golden opportunity

Although they allow staff to work more efficiently, only 22 per cent of small business bosses currently offer their staff cloud-based apps to help with work, according to a poll of 1,083 small UK businesses that was conducted by EE.

To help companies capture lost productivity gains, EE has launched Business Apps, a handpicked suite of cloud-based solutions. Whether you're the sole person in your business or work in a team of 10, they can help give your organisation a major productivity boost.

Accessible over EE's super-fast 4G network, they include some of the world's most popular business apps. From sharing files and creating documents with colleagues to processing receipts directly from the cloud, they're a simple yet effective way of staying organised and getting more done. And because they work on millions of employees' tablets and smartphones already out there, in addition to regular PCs and laptops, businesses can take advantage of them without having to buy extra hardware.

Working up an app-etite

With Sage One accounts and Sage One payroll you can balance your books and pay staff in minutes quickly and easily from anywhere. Microsoft's Office 365, one of the most popular cloud-based productivity suites in the world, lets your team create and share documents while collaborating in the cloud. Another app, Receipt Bank, enables you to collate, store and process all of your receipts and invoices directly from a phone or tablet that can be submitted straight to your account in seconds.

EE's Business Apps come on one transparent bill so that you know exactly what you're paying for, and many apps are available as trials so you can find out what works for your business with no upfront commitment. EE even has UK-based call centres should you need a point in the right direction.